Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1887-01-02

SPOKE % fhem ~ fellows:
LNks Waahinrfsn IA q basay &c fraah |
wAkAx gituased ah0uk swo miles dne east |
fr1m Soastie Bag, Wazhinwt1a Terri
tory. Il 10 shout twenty ISLES IN
length with en- average width 81 ah0as |
swo miles. and has an 8rea OF 4hGut |
forty euaafe milsa. At IL Widest plses
il width Is aboat Eve miles. Here
thers Is 3 large isIand, abo1t lindsay Of
the lake, one mile VIDE and akoaf I'VE
miles ID length. TIE depth OF water
asssrtained e xari0ns places about
eqaidisianf fr0u the shores. vaTizs from
ten b thirty seven fathous, and 10 gen
eraf i u deep up 20 within eaoFt dis
tance fram is shefes. Ihe whole lake
i nothing more titan 6 large volame OF
wafer collected from tie EuFrouadinE
hills into deep gorge
When is vas ascersained fhat tbs
depth vas 30 great. reaching far beloW
the level Of the waters OF f1s Sou1d. is
became interesting % know the chaFaG-
ter Of the water at the bottom. To de
teruine this We proe1red specimens,
which, after examination. proved TO Be
precisely similar to those obtained Ernm
he top, both being perfestly fresh. Tbs
Temperature at the bottom vas IS dec.
Fahrenheit, az the surface 20 daa. Fab
Fenheis, the air 80 deg. Fahrenheit.
TAis lake receives the drainage of
aboat 800 square miles Of the surround
ing country. It's principal tributary,
the Samamish River. enters IN - its
northern end. This river drains q lake
Of ths same name. situated about three
miles due esst and lying north and
south, nearly parallel to Lake Washing
ton. The other tributaries are small,
| inoonsi aerable streams draining the
hills in the immadiate vicinity. Its
natural outlet is al its southern end,
/ through the Duwamish River into Seat
tie Bay. Between the lake and the bay
this river receives kbe waters OF Cedar
and White Rivers. 1t is navigahIe for
small steamboats, at ordinary high tide
| up 30 . short distance above the White
River, aud during the time Of fFeshets
/ in the Cedar and White Rivers steam
ers have assembled to the lake.
The esuatry surrounding Like wash
ington il gsner lily undulating and billy.
although not rough nor ragged. IL
abounds With numerous springs OF clear,
pure water.
Along the borders OF Samamish Lake
and down the Samamish River there are
considerable quantities Of marsh and
overfiowed lands that only need recla-
mstion 10 become valuable for agficus-
tsraI purposes. This tract Of country,
| like all tkat bordering on the waters of
Puget Sound, il thickly covered With
valuable timber. of which, fir, spruce
aud cedar are the principal varieties.
On the borders of the lake alone there
is enough of tho best quality Of these
| species Of timber TO supply all the wants
OF 3 naval depot for years TO come.
There are also within two miles Of the
eastern shore Of this lake. eoal fsids of
considerable extent that are nov being
successfully worked. The coal Is Of an
excellent Quality and ranks among the
/ FIRST Of that obtained upon this coast
for steamiRR purposes.
| To the westward of Lake Washington
IL another smaller lake called Lake
q li0n. Their waters are separated by
low, narrow riaRe, about $50 yards
wide.
This lake has an area Of about ~
square miles. It's depth varies from 3
to 8 fathoms, aud its waters are of about
the same character a. those of Lake
Washington. It's outlet Is on its eastern
side through q small stream into Shil-
shole Bay, thence into Admiralty Inlet.
Through this outlet the tide rises TO
within one half mile Of the lake. The
stream rcns through low, narrow val
ley which widens out into marshy Cat
when 1t reaches Shilshole Bay.
TNTER-LAKE CANAL.
Among the enterprises Of great public
value actively prosecuted in 1856 was
the cutting OF the long-talked-s of mach
to-be desired canal tween Lakes
Union and Washington. Thirty men
and many teams of horses we're kept at
the work for several months, which
drew near to completion with the close
Of the year, and which will certainly be
eomrleted early in 1887. The value of
this canal will be great. hardly less than
that Of enc OF our railroads. II will
furnish TO one half the farmers OF the
county an easy wav by water to their
| patrons Of the county seat; it will tend
20 purify the water of the lakes. and
prevent floods; will make available a
vast body of timber; will qRieken and
| cheaper communication beIwe0n town
and country, and will be Of general bell
eft In other ways too numerous for
mention. When fully completed the
canal will have cost $4,000.
SCENERY.
The soenery Is varied. The western
line OF the county is midway bet eer
the Cascade and Coast Ranges Of Moan-
tains. A thousand views of the grand
est character are to be obtained OF these
ranges, in many place, including both.
Mounts Rainier and Baker, two OF the
highest peaks in the Territory, are
plainly TO be seen, as we'll as long lines
of lower mountains. Puget Sound itself
10 an ever changing, always beautiful
sight. The lakes are extremely attract
i've. Snoqualmie Falls, where the water
pitches down parpendiculaFly go feet,
possesses attractions bat little short Of
those Of Niagara itself. The timber is
restful TO the eye, while no prettieE or
more animated picture can be seen than
- furnished on q bright afternoon by
the city Of Seattle from the bay In
front.
GENERATION HKNcE.
10 its mines, its timber, lie fertile soil,
its fisheries, its commercial and manu-
featuring advantages. KiRg county pos
sesses all the elements necessary for the
support Of a population OF half million
souls, and that aDother generation will
see IL support that nnmbsr no patriotic
4 ~.